神圣的逆转

“我们若靠基督，只在今生有指望，就算比众人更可怜。但基督已经从死里复活。” - 林前 15:19-20

　　圣经中充满了我称之为“神圣逆转”的例子。基督的复活翻转了一切！生命战胜了死亡，善战胜了恶，爱战胜了一切。

　　正如保罗所阐明的，如果基督教只是一个“感觉很好”的信仰，帮助我们在今生过得更好，那我们就是可怜无望的。如果情况是这样，那我们在今生没有从神而来的帮助，来生也没有盼望，如果还有来生的话。所以还不如对我们自己以及那些死去之人，放弃任何盼望吧。所有这一切，不过是一个濒临绝望的信仰虚构出来的故事而已。

　　接着，却出现了惊人的神圣逆转：“但基督已经从死里复活，成为睡了之人初熟的果子。” 哈利路亚！我们有了从今生延续到永生的盼望。我们不是被罪和死的咒诅所击败，而是“在基督里众人也都要复活，”正如基督自己已经复活，进入永生。

　　是的，我们所有的盼望——甚至我们整个生命——都是肯定的，因为神说：“但基督已经从死里复活了！”

祷告

父啊，感谢祢使祢的儿子走进我们痛苦的历史。如果不是耶稣基督的复活，我们就是最可怜无望的。愿我们为着祢所做的一切，怀着感恩与尊崇。奉耶稣的名求，阿们。

哥林多前书 15:19-28

19我们若靠基督只在今生有指望，就算比众人更可怜。
20但基督已经从死里复活，成为睡了之人初熟的果子。
21死既是因一人而来，死人复活也是因一人而来。
22在亚当里众人都死了；照样，在基督里众人也都要复活。
23但各人是按着自己的次序复活：初熟的果子是基督；以后，在他来的时候，是那些属基督的。
24再后，末期到了，那时基督既将一切执政的、掌权的、有能的都毁灭了，就把国交与父神。
25因为基督必要作王，等神把一切仇敌都放在他的脚下。
26尽末了所毁灭的仇敌就是死。
27因为经上说：“神叫万物都服在他的脚下。”既说万物都服了他，明显那叫万物服他的，不在其内了。
28万物既服了他，那时子也要自己服那叫万物服他的，叫神在万物之上，为万物之主。

The Divine Adversative

"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead." — 1 Corinthians 15:19-20

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Scripture abounds with examples of what I call the Divine Adversative. This is about God intervening to reverse the effects of our sin.

Yesterday we noted an example of this in the resurrection of Jesus. Christ's resurrection has reversed everything! Life conquered death, good conquered evil, and love conquered all.

As Paul explains, if Christianity is no more than a "feel-good" faith that helps us behave better in this life, we're pathetically hopeless. If that is the case, then we have no help from God in this life and no hope for the next, if there is life after death. So it would be better to abandon all hope for ourselves as well as for those who've already died. All of this would mean the resurrection is merely a figment of desperate faith.

But then comes the thunderous Divine Adversative: "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." Hallelujah! We have a hope that extends from our life here on earth to eternity itself. Rather than being defeated by the curse of sin and death, "in Christ all will be made alive," just as Christ himself is alive for eternity.

All of our hope—and indeed all of our life—is certain, because God said, "But Christ!"

Prayer

Father, thank you that your Son stepped into our painful history. If not for Jesus Christ, we would be most pitiable. May we honor you with gratitude today for all you have done for us. Amen.